Ongoing training and development

Exclusive Access to Consultant-Only Resources

To complement your Improvability training, we have prepared a special online resource section on the website which gives you access to a wealth of additional training materials, including all the printed handouts in the manual.

You will have exclusive access to consultant-only resources with a special username and password. These resources are designed to support your training and ongoing business development. Access is only available to Improvability trainees.

I am constantly writing new documents and updating existing ones - these will be published online and made available as part of our ongoing commitment to help you get the most from your Improvability training.

Here's a sample of what is already available for you:

Where to source your drape stand/spinner
Where to source your drape clips
Where to source your disposable make-up applicators / brushes
How to run a 'Tonal Taster' session
How to use this special technique to market your business

"Thanks for the information on the workshop. I did my first about 10 days ago and it went really well, they are all going to book again and 3 have e-mailed to say thank you. Most of my ladies seem to be doing this so hopefully you've taught me something. I've got another one booked in for later this month too. I much preferred the format. I really liked the interaction between the ladies and I think it is much better for them. I'm sure they learnt far more by watching everyone else than just doing it themselves."

Full list of seasonal and tonal colour analysis drapes
List of contents of the 60 seasonal drapes starter kit
List of contents of the 90 tonal drapes starter kit (you do not need both!)
How many colours can each season wear?
Colour personality quiz
Questionnaire
Answer sheet
Make-up handout for your clients - suggestions for each of the 4 seasons - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
Sample seasonal printed handout to give to your clients
A sample feedback form
Contents list of each seasonal colour fabric fan - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
Capsule wardrobe suggestions to give to your clients - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter

Fashion Trends print-ready handouts for your clients:
- Spring/Summer 2006
- Autumn/Winter 2006/7
- Spring/Summer 2007
- Autumn/Winter 2007/8
- Spring/Summer 2008
Contents list of each seasonal colour card wallet - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter
Contents list of each tonal colour fabric fan - Warm, Cool, Deep, Light, Bright and Muted
Hints and tips on using the telephone, email and the internet to help you communicate effectively to promote your business
Access to a fabulous range of colour-coded cosmetics at wholesale prices
Primary, secondary and tertiary colours explained

Resources for Consultants website coming soon...

We are currently preparing a brand-new Resources for Consultants website. All Improvability trainees will have free access to the section relevant to their training, i.e. if you have completed Colour Analysis and Men's Image courses with us, then you will have free access to the content of those two sections on the new website. Other consultants will, eventually, be able to purchase a number of these resources.

Exclusive Consultant-Only Newsletters

Regular newsletters for Improvability consultants only, sent to your email address.

Consultant-only newsletters go out to everyone who has trained with me - via both face-to-face courses and the DVD-based self-study package. I include subjects to help you with your business, e.g:

hints and tips on marketing your business
how to analyse your nearest and dearest
how to handle changing hair colour
examples of actual draping queries from other consultants or my own experiences

"Can't wait for my next newsletter as I devour them and reuse ALL the information, I guarantee you."

Some of the actual subjects covered in 2007 alone are:

Fashion trends Autumn 2007 with a print-ready handout for clients, and how to use this information
Colour analysis - questions and answers from actual case studies
Job opportunity for full-time image consultant
What's holding you back from success?
Starter suggestions for lipsticks
A brief history of colour analysis
Marketing ideas for the New Year
How to use comparison drapes
Where to get free business banking
Promote your business and provide follow-on services for your clients

Our newsletter will help to keep you in touch with other consultants in this marvellous business.

"I also wanted to say thank you for all the e-mails you send out with advice and snippets of news, it's lovely to get these and as it's such a lonely business sometimes, it makes me feel very supported."

Further Training Courses

Q: "I am very interested in providing even more service to my clients, so how could I learn more about the 'fashion styles' aspect of this business?"

A: Ladies' Style is the next logical course after Colour Analysis. You could then follow that with any of these - Wardrobe & Shopping Services, Men's Image, Corporate Image. These are not in any particular order although there's no way you could consider corporate work without thoroughly understanding all the others first - in depth.

Once you've trained with Improvability, you will qualify for great discounts on any further training courses you take with us.

Start With Colour Analysis

Colour is the most important part of the image process
I advise every aspiring image consultant to study colour first
Colour is the first thing that you see

In my opinion, everyone should start with colour. Colour has to come first. For instance, if you trained first as a style consultant, style is all about style, body shape, scale, and style personality. If you decide on your client's body shape and advise them to go and buy a jacket or skirt for their particular body shape, the first question they're going to ask you is, "What do colour do I buy?" Colour is the first thing that we see. I advise everyone to start with colour when they want to be an image consultant.

Ladies' Style Training

We offer a 2-day face-to-face training course in Ladies' Style which takes place in Chesterfield. You can check out the content of this and other courses.

We don't offer a self-study course in Ladies' Style. We had planned to do this at the beginning of 2007 but realised quite quickly that we couldn't possibly cover the absolutely massive amount of information in one boxed set.

So we are now looking at how to offer each topic as a separate module. Some of it will be available on DVD, some will be written - manuals, books, etc., and it will all be available in the future on a brand-new resources-for-consultants website which we are about to launch. We are constantly looking at new technology to help us teach more effectively across the miles so audio classes, teleclasses, webinar, podcasts, etc. are all under consideration at the moment.

Men's Image Training

Q: "I am seeing a need for training in men's colour and style analysis. How can I acquire this knowledge? They seem to be a different species from women..."

A: You are quite right. Men are a different species and the main thrust of the one-day Men's Image course that I run is based around the diwomen. You need to use different words, a different approach entirely with men - they usually need a list of what to do, and couldn't care less what the titles mean whereas these are incredibly important to women as they then want to tell their friends about it. Men will never tell their male friends that they have been for a style consultation, unless they are gay (and that calls for yet another approach). Also men will never come to you for colour alone - what would be the point for them? They need colour, body shape, scale, etc. all in one visit.

Check out some suggestions for course content to start you thinking about what you might need to cover.

There's a big market in men's image. So many more men now realise the benefits to their finances to look good, and men are willing to pay a lot more than women for advice from a professional consultant. Men actually understand the value of consulting a professional - they know it will have a major impact on their ability to increase their income.

I have two full-time consultant friends whose work is 95% with men. I'll warn you - it requires a certain psychological profile to work with men effectively. It's not for everyone, and you need to know your stuff inside out, because when a man asks you why, you jolly well have to know why or your credibility goes right out of the window. This is why I always recommend new-ish consultants to practise on women first; we're so much more forgiving.

Corporate Image Training

Once again, this course assumes that you already know colour, style, shape and fit inside out. Corporate clients will be paying you premium rates for your professional expertise so you have to be quick, correct and confident.

You will need to be comfortable leading and giving presentations to large and small groups, working with new recruits and senior managers alike. The course shows you how to tender for such work, how to put together corporate events, how to calculate costs, and how to create ongoing work in this extremely lucrative sector of the image business.

Check out some suggestions for course content to start you thinking about what you might need to cover.

If this doesn't sound like you, then don't take this course! Specialise - be brilliant at what you're comfortable with and you will then build a successful business based on your strengths, and not on what you THINK the rest of the world and his mother expects you to offer.

Improvability Training and Development Events

From 2008, we will be running events for consultants, which will concentrate on helping you to develop your image business. Some of the topics being considered are:

'How to run a draping session' - where we all drape each other madly and you can swap ideas with other consultants
'How to get your image business off the ground' presented by image professionals who also run a business support service
Using make-up in your consultations (or not!)
'A simple guideline for handling hair' - a presentation by a top UK hair consultant on how to work successfully with hairdressers
'The pros and cons of having your own website' - practical advice from an expert
'Finding and working with associates' - ideas for reciprocal business
'The 5 stages of business - how to identify where your business is, where it's been, and where you could take it if you want to!' Presented by a professional trainer and image consultant
'How to run a Tonal Taster session' - to market your business and work with other business owners
'How to make more money from your image business' - marketing advice for a long-term sustainable business
Tips on running workshops for your clients, with lots of ideas for titles and content
'Successful hair colour' - advice from a professional hair colourist
'How to run a make-up masterclass' even if you hate the thought of including make-up in your consultations
'No fears networking' - debunking the myths that surround 'networking' and how to make it work for your business

We are always open to your ideas so just drop me an email with your suggestions.

These events will be advertised to Improvability trainees first. If places are still available, other consultants will then be given an opportunity to join us.

< previous | next >